Bitcoin and ether ETFs remained under intense selling pressure, extending February’s sharp drawdown. XRP and solana ETFs, however, continued to attract fresh capital, offering rare pockets of strength.

U.S. stocks rebounded sharply on Friday during the mid-morning trading sessions, as easing inflation expectations, improved consumer sentiment, and a rotation into industrial and financial stocks lifted the Dow Jones Industrial Average near record highs.

Bitcoin is holding at $67,312, with a market cap of $1.32 trillion and 24-hour trading volume clocking in at a thunderous $160 billion. The price range has swung dramatically between $60,000 and $70,546—classic whiplash territory for anyone with weak hands or slower reflexes.

The World Gold Council (WGC) reported that physically backed gold ETFs registered record inflows in January, with investors pouring more than $19 billion into these funds. North American and Asian markets led the charge with strong demand despite recent price declines.

Bitcoin treasury firm Strategy reported a massive Q4 2025 operating loss of $17.4B, a 17‑fold jump from the prior year, driven largely by unrealized losses on its BTC holdings.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase or sign up for a service, Bitcoin.com may receive a commission. Our editorial content is independent and based on objective analysis. As 2026 moves further into the first quarter, the top crypto exchanges continue to refine their platforms, raising standards for transparency, innovation, and security across global markets.

Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange founded by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, an

Institutional trading desk SDM achieves largest recorded Lightning Network payment, demonstrating the potential for near-instant, low-cost enterprise-scale settlements.

Several local mining experts agree that there is sufficient gas in the country to establish a mobile fleet of bitcoin miners directly adjacent to oil extraction operations. Estimates set the gas lost to flaring operations in the country at 13,000 cubic meters, which could be used to power bitcoin mining farms.

Stablecoin issuer Tether acquires 12% of Gold.com, aiming to bridge digital currencies with physical gold markets amid record gold prices and growing tokenization trends.

The prediction market platform has announced an overhaul of its anti-insider training practices, enlisting the help of several high-profile executives in market integrity and surveillance. In addition, Kalshi appointed a new head of enforcement and partnered with Solidus Labs ahead of the upcoming Super Bowl.

BitMEX has launched copy trading that enables users to replicate the strategies

Crypto’s real trajectory is being missed by markets obsessed with volatility, as decentralized networks quietly position themselves to replace failing global institutions and reshape economics, governance, and coordination, according to Balaji Srinivasan.

XRP fundamentals are strengthening as institutional infrastructure expands, unlocking new onchain utility and regulated access that could reshape demand even while price action lags amid broader market pressure.

The crypto market has been locked in a deep, prolonged winter since early 2025, but signs suggest the downturn may be closer to its end as institutional flows mask pain, retail capitulates and sentiment reaches classic late-stage extremes.